Feb 2, 2016 | 1:30PM

Prust is in the final-year of the four-year deal he signed with Montreal, cap hit of $2.5 million, after leaving the Rangers after the 2012 season.

Larry Brooks tweets that the Rangers have "no intention" of putting in a claim for Prust. (Brooks)

Adam Rotter: To some degree the Rangers have been trying to replace Brandon Prust since he left for Montreal. Brandon Prust though isn't the same player he was for John Tortorella and the Rangers. He was a fan favorite, worked his butt off and helped forge the indentity of those Ranger teams, but with Tanner Glass as a cheaper option and someone Alain Vigneault is comfortable with, there is no room for Prust.

Recap: What Brandon Prust said today

Brandon Prust met with the media today (via the NHL) following the announcement of his two game suspension:

Q. Brandon, which analysis or interpretation did you plead to the league for your hit and how did you defend yourself?BRANDON PRUST: The hit itself wasn't really a topic in the hearing. It was all about the timing of it. For me, it's my first shift of the game. I'm trying to create some energy. I want to get out there and get some body checks in. I see Step with the puck, and I'm kind of backtracking, and I do a good job of getting in front of him, other than coming from the side. I try to skate in front of him, and stop, and come back into him. Kept my skate is on the ice, my shoulder into his chest. I didn't leave my feet. It's all about the timing. It's a fraction of a second. The NHL deems a hit late around .6 seconds, and I'm at .8 seconds, so you know, that's on me. It's late, but for me my focus was on trying to make a good, clean body check and not leave my feet, my elbows tucked, and everything about the actual contact is clean, it's just late.

Postgame Thoughts: Devils 3, Canadiens 2 (4/23/13)

By Corey Griffin | Apr 23, 2013 | 11:53PM

As I said on Twitter postgame, this was an impressive win for a lot of reasons. Yes, the Devils probably should've played like this at some point during their 10-game slide. No, two more wins like this won't drastically change how we look at the season. However, there were bright spots in this game that lend themselves toward a positive look for next season and it's possible missing the playoffs flipped a switch in the psyche of a lot of these players, which is another topic for another day. As for? tonight's game, some thoughts...

Fortitude: At least for me, the most impressive part of tonight's win came after the Canadiens scored two unanswered, the second of which came including one in the final minute of the second period. We've seen the Devils melt down multiple times in that scenario, giving up an early goal in the third and going on to lose in regulation or in extra play. It's been one of my biggest criticisms of this Devils team, particularly during their recent slide. This team lacked a strong enough mental edge to their game to rebound from "woe is us" moments. Tonight, though, they didn't need a timeout to correct them and while they struggled to get shots on net in the third, they still kept the Canadiens at bay for long stretches. Also, the Habs came out in the third and tried to bully the Devils, who fought right back. Ilya Kovalchuk, for one, went right at the Canadiens after he got hit from behind. Kovy's response, along with the the energy he's played with and the way he drives the train (so to speak), has me wondering if it should be Kovalchuk with the captain's "C" next season. I know Salvador is respected in the room and a lot of guys like him, but would it kill them to give it to Kovy and have Salvador take an "A?" I think it would be a wise move that would help shape the team's mindset going into next season. Food for thought.

Read: Brandon Prust Is Playing Against "Friends For Life" Tonight/Thanks John Tortorella For Teaching Him How To Be A Pro

"I don't know if I have many bad memories. I made a lot of friends. I love the city. It's a great organization and it was a kick start to my NHL career."

"I think everyone respects what I did here. I worked my butt off. I gave honest and hard work."

"Some of these guys are my best friends, my friends for life"

"Torts likes guys that work hard. I think we both respected each other. He taught me a lot and set the bar high for everybody. He brought out the best in me and I am very thankful."

"I would like to put a couple past Henrik Lundqvist."

5:09PM: Prust met with the media before the game and Katie Strang says that when the topic of John Tortorella saying he was "just a guy in a Montreal uniform," Prust jokingly responded that Tortorella is just another coach of the Rangers.

She adds that Prust wanted to set a precedent with his contract for player that have his role.

Note: Brandon Prust Returns To MSG Tonight

When asked about Prust's return, John Tortorella said yesterday "it's just a guy in a Montreal uniform."

After Prust signed with Montreal, Tortorella said "we will miss him. He is a glue guy and became a big part of the locker room. Everyone in the room liked him and he loved it here. You try and keep your teams together but it?s impossible. I think Pruster was trying to be fair, but god, he gets $10 million over $4 years and promised some things by their organization. I am leery of that, and I told him that.?

Read: Replacing Brandon Prust

Tortorella said that there isn't one player who can do all the things that Prust did, "I think it's going to be a group. Pruster played a very important role for our team, killing penalties, bouncing around on different lines. Not one guy is going to fill that. I like what I see of the new guys coming in here. We have to find a way to fill those needs."

In the NY Post, Brian Boyle told Larry Brooks that the Rangers may have been a bit spoiled having a guy like Prust.

Read: How Montreal Sweet Talked Brandon Prust Into Playing There

Prust signed a four-year deal with Montreal worth $10 million on July and had coach Michel Therrien and Scott Mellanby come to his parents his in Ontario where Prust was spending some time.

Stubbs writes "Therrien and Mellanby didn?t bring a contract, but rather a philosophy of where the Habs were and where they were going, and why they believed that Prust, who was spending some time with his folks, could be an important cog in the machine the Canadiens were constructing."

Mailbag: How Much Are They Going To Miss Brandon Prust?

Craig: I don't see how Asham, Pyatt or Haley can replace what Prust brought to this team. Everyone loved him, he busted his ass and he was always game to fight, especially against the Flyers and Devils.

Buzz: Where The Rangers Could Look To Replace Brandon Prust

In the NY Post, Larry Brooks writes that the Rangers could turn to Jordan Tootoo to replace Brandon Prust, who Brooks says is "all but gone."

Tootoo, 29, had five fighting majors last season and averaged over 13 minutes a game with six goals and 24 assists. He had a cap hit of $1.25 million last season.

On losing Prust, Carp writes at Rangers Report, "I think Brandon Prust will get offers beyond where the Rangers want to go, and if they lose him they will lose a lot of their identity. The Rangers were a nasty team for opponents to play last year, and a lot of that had to do with Prust, willing and wanting to fight every night. He will have to be replaced, and there aren?t many guys in the NHL who can fight like he does and play important minutes and be a heart-and-soul guy (sorry for the cliche, but he is)."

Buzz: Brandon Prust Looks Like He Is Going To Be A Free Agent

According to Larry Brooks in the NY Post, the Rangers and Brandon Prust are believed to have a big enough difference in contract negotiations that Prust is likely to test the waters on July 1.

Brooks says that Prust's top priority is to re-sign with the Rangers and that the Rangers want to re-sign him, but the difference in money is supposedly "upward of $1 million over the life of a three-year contract."

Prust also changed his agent and is now represented by Edmonton based Rich Winter. Winter represents players like Marian Hossa and Ryan Getzlaf.

Buzz: The Money With Brandon Prust

He just finished up a two-year deal that was worth $1.6 million and will be a UFA on July 1.

When asked how important money was to him, Prust said on breakup day, "Money is a factor but it?s not the biggest factor for me, a good situation is what I am looking for the most. Being a part of a winning team, it?s something that we have here and I want to be a big part of a team."

Read: The Brandon Prust Situation Is All About Value

The Rangers acquired Brandon Prust on Feb 1, 2010 as the second part of a package coming from Calgary with Olli Jokinen. Prust went on to sign a tw0-year deal worth $1.6 million following that summer and now Prust is on the verge of being an unrestricted free agent for the first time in his career.

On free agency, Prust said yesterday, "as a hockey player free agency is a big time in your life and a big decision. I love it here and we have a good thing going with a good group of guys. I would definitely like to be back. Money is a factor but it's not the biggest factor for me, a good situation is what I am looking for the most. Being a part of a winning team, it's something that we have here and I want to be a big part of a team.

John Tortorella said ?I?ll tell you that we value him. He?s a huge part of our team. That?s all I can say. I love the guy. The intangibles he brings. I think he does a lot. I think he?s had an up and down year. He was getting a lot of minutes. Then he got some minutes. It was an inconsistent year. But as far as his intangibles and what he brings to the locker room, he?s a huge piece to our puzzle.?

NEWS: Brandon Prust Suspended One Game

The NHL, via Tom Gulitti, has announced that Brandon Prust has been suspended one game for his elbow on Anton Volchenkov.

Katie Strang points out at ESPN NY, "according to Elias Sports Bureau, has been assessed only two elbowing penalties in his entire 301-game NHL career. The 28-year-old bruiser has also never had a hearing with the NHL's Department of Player Safety, a clean record he hopes will weigh in his favor."

Read: The Glue Of The Hockey Team

During his press conference following the Winter Classic, on the NHL Network, John Tortorella praised both Brandon Prust and Mike Rupp as "glue guys" and huge parts of the Rangers.

He talked about how he knows that both players can "play" and that they are more than just guys who do the "heavy lifting"

They have been like four or five minute guys and they do the heavy lifting when it comes to that kind of stuff. I just don?t want them to think that?s their only role. We know Rupp can play and we know Pruster can play. It?s been a little bit of a struggle. To see them ignite us a little bit is important for the team. They are glue guys and are very important to the team in the room. I think everybody pulls for those type of players because they know they are being taken care of on the ice with them.

John Tortorella told Ranger Rants how much of an important player Prust is, "I?ve always said about Pruster, he?s a really good teammate and people?he?s a glue guy and people pull for him. I think it?s very important. It?s not talked about, but how your locker room is before you step on the ice is a very important aspect of trying to win games and he?s a huge part of that intangible."

This team is full of good guys and players that like each other. That really comes across on 24/7. It's a loose attitude among the team but they know what is at stake when they come to the rink. A guy like Rupp, who is a veteran, has won a cup, and understands his role is a huge part of the team. It's the guys who don't always get the most ice time, but make the big contributions in the locker room that are needed for any team that is going to win.

Read: Brandon Prust Set The Tone Yesterday

John Tortorella said on the post game show on MSG last night that Brandon Prust "set the tone" last night. Torts said that Prust decides when to fight and that he usually makes the right decision and that "he certainly did today."